Saturday, 20 May 2017

Assad vows to continue working with Iran after Rouhani win

Syria’s President Bashar al-Assad lauded his Iranian counterpart
Hassan Rouhani Saturday on his election victory and vowed to continue
cooperating with Tehran, a key Damascus supporter.
Assad congratulated Rouhani on winning a second term and for earning
“the trust the Iranian people gave him to continue bolstering Iran’s
position and role,” according to a statement carried by Syrian state
news agency SANA.
The Syrian president stressed the need to “continue working and
cooperating with the Islamic Republic of Iran to strengthen the security
and stability of both countries, the region and the world,” it said.

Iran, alongside Russia, is a key supporter of Assad, in power for 17
years and engaged in a devastating six-year war against a multitude of
rebel and jihadist forces.
Iran has sent to Syria military advisers as well as thousands of
“volunteer” fighters recruited among its own nationals as well as the
Shiite communities in neighbouring Afghanistan and Pakistan since the
conflict broke out in March 2011.
Fighters from Iran-backed Lebanese armed Shiite movement Hezbollah
and Iraqi Shiite militias are also battling alongside Syrian regime
forces.
According to a report published in March, some 2,100 combatants sent by Iran have died in Syria and Iraq.
Iranian and Russian military support, as well as that of Hezbollah,
have helped the Syrian regime win key victories against rebel and
jihadist forces.
Syria’s conflict has killed more than 320,000 people, displaced millions and ravaged the country’s economy and infrastructure.